Question

PTVinnyMac · Oct 19, 2019

Hi, new to these forums. So I have a fluval 13.5 G Mantis shrimp set up. I've had the Mantis about 6 weeks now. About 2 weeks ago (October 6th to be exact) my Mantis (Haven't name him/her just yet although I'm kind of fond of the name Pyscho Mantis) locked itself into it's den for what I presume is a molt.

Three days into I heard some taps. But since then, nothing. I know the molts can take a while. But tomorrow is exactly 2 weeks and I'm concerned.

I tested the water tonight:

0 Ammonia

0 Nitrites

Around 70ppm Nitrate

The water does not smell bad. Should I be worried?

Ron Reefman · Oct 20, 2019

So you haven't seen the mantis shrimp in 2 weeks? Have you tried looking at night when the lights are out (use a flashlight)? Can you see in the cave at all?

How big is it? How hard would it be to move something in the tank and look for it?

I had a reef lobster and it used a rock I bought online that was made to be a cave and sold for freshwater fish. So I could pull it out easily.

PTVinnyMac · Oct 20, 2019

It's approximately 1 1/2-2" before locking up in there. I cannot see into the cave at all, it's at the back corner of my tank and he buried down and into rock to expand it. Entrance and exit points are small and well plugged.

Jayreefer · Oct 22, 2019

Might have been a bad molt. I would wait another week before checking the cave.

PTVinnyMac · Oct 22, 2019

I'm doing everything in my power to not invade it's space. But my concern level that it was/is a bad moult related death is high.

My water parameters have checked out, (I'll check ammonia again tonight) and there's no funky smell. But I'm still worried

reef lover · Oct 22, 2019

Try holding some food near its den with some tongs and see if hell come out.

PTVinnyMac · Oct 22, 2019

I'll soak a krill in selcon and try... Thanks for the idea!

PTVinnyMac · Oct 22, 2019

Held the shrimp out front for about 5 minutes and nothing.

Now I've dropped a small piece of tilapia in front of one of the entrances, I'll check periodically as the evening progresses.

PTVinnyMac · Oct 22, 2019

Nothing. Piece of Tilapia is still out front of the den. If nothing else, the den that my mantis built is impressive, totally carved out the inside of a rock it seems like.

If he/she is dead, then I'd love to get a good look at it's burrow.

I'd rather have him/her be alive tho.

reef lover · Oct 23, 2019

Id still give him some time...maybe if you dont see him by the weekend then go looking. Id hate to see a rock fall and injure him while trying to find him.
I ve.kept several one was wild from lr. Tiny lil green guy...so cute...had for a few years...but when he did die i couldnt find his body.

PTVinnyMac · Oct 26, 2019

Great news!! Went in today and Pyscho Mantis is fine!! He/she got a bit spooked, but all is good. I restructured the rock in the tank a bit and just fed it a krill. I only found one club from it's previous molt. But everything seems like it's in the right place now!

Zos4me · Oct 26, 2019

love a happy ending

PTVinnyMac · Oct 26, 2019

I have to tha k reef lover for kinda calming me down and talking me off a ledge lol. I was a little panicked, these guys are hard to find where I'm at and I was worried I'd lose it then not find another. All good til the next molt!!

Zos4me · Oct 26, 2019

Its amazing how attached we can become to critters

PTVinnyMac · Oct 26, 2019

It is. But it's just so darn easy with the Mantis. They're such cool little things!!

reef lover · Oct 26, 2019

Anytime! We all go there at one point or the other!

PTVinnyMac · Oct 27, 2019

Sad news I'm afraid... I'm feeling pretty ****** today.

So after I discovered my mantis was still alive, because of me moving the rock that he had burrowed in, my rock setup shuffled slightly. I re arranged a few rocks and then added a few new small ones as well.

It seems like maybe some of the rocks were no longer as sturdy in their position as they had been. This morning I found the little fellow pinched between the pvc pipe and one of the rocks, it was fatal.

I feel really badly about it. Again, Reef lover did kind of warn me, so spot on you were, which actually makes me feel worse that I wasn't attentive enough.

Needed to vent here